The Central Magnet Taylor KHUNE O Named State The Best Gatorade

Telmovrispolo Cuneo was the fastest women's cross-country runner in Rutherford county and class / AA 2014.

On Thursday, the Central Magnet freshman standout was named the Tennessee Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.

"I was very surprised," said Cuneo, who was informed during the school's announcement period. "I knew I was nominated for it. It's a great honor to be named as the Gatorade runner of the year."

Cuneo is the first athlete at Central Magnet to be named a Gatorade statewide athlete of the year.

The 5-foot-2 athlete won the TSSAA Class A/AA state cross country meet in 18:57.58 to help lead the Lady Tigers to a third-place finish as a team. She was the fastest Tennessee competitor in the Nike Cross Nationals Southeast Regional championships and earned All-American honors with an eighth-place finish in the NXN final in 17:41. She was also the fastest freshman in the country.

Academically, she boasts an A average and has volunteered locally on behalf of her church youth group as both a soccer and track and field counselor.

"It's obviously a huge honor for Taylor," Central Magnet coach Allen Nichols said. "She has a tremendous work ethic. She's obviously talented. That's what makes her the perfect choice for this award.

"It's what she does on a day-to-day basis, not just as a runner, but as a student at Central. I'm very proud of her."

Cuneo is the second Central Magnet runner to receive a high honor this season. Her teammate Claudia Smith was named a Wendy's High School Heisman national finalist this past year.

"I think that's just an indication of the type of kids we have here at Central Magnet," Nichols said. "They have tremendous work ethic that they put forth every day here.

"None of it comes easy. They have to put in tremendous time and effort academically and in athletics."

Cuneo, who won the middle school cross country state meet multiple times at Oakland Middle before going to Central Magnet, plans on participating in track and field in the spring.

She said she is looking at participating in the 1,600 and 3,200 this season.

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

GATORADE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Central Magnet freshman Taylor Cuneo became the area's 16th athlete to be named a Tennessee Gatorade Athlete of the Year for her respective sport. Listed below are the area's winners.Source:dnj.com